Ben Roethlisberger escaped another knee injury when rookie Bengals linebacker Odell Thurman hit him low in the second quarter of their game Sunday and was penalized for roughing the passer.

Roethlisberger yesterday called it a dirty hit.

"I'm looking down the field," he said, going through the play. "I threw it to Hines [Ward] early, and I saw [Thurman] coming, so I tried to let my body go limp so I could go down and not hurt my knee.

"From what I heard, he said he got pushed or tripped or something; but anytime you go low on a quarterback, you know it's a little dirty."

The pass was complete to Ward for 18 yards, and another 15 was tackled on for Thurman's personal foul.

Cincinnati coach Marvin Lewis contended this week that Steelers center Jeff Hartings tripped Thurman, although he acknowledged his rookie probably would be fined for the hit by the NFL.

"In this case the penalty may not have even been warranted because the defensive player was tripped running free to the quarterback by the offensive center," Lewis said. "Maybe it should have been an offensive penalty. But, again, it was called on Odell. So that's the way it goes."

Linebacker Brian Urlacher of the Bears said yesterday that while he did not see the hit, quarterbacks are protected too much by the league and the officials.

"Where are we supposed to hit the guy?" Urlacher said when told Roethlisberger called the hit dirty. "You can't hit him in the face, you can't hit him in the chest, you can't hit him in the knees. I don't understand where we are supposed to hit the guys.

"People call it dirty. Call it what you want. We can't hit him. We get fined, we get flagged ... there are so many rules for the quarterbacks now.'

Urlacher is right, there are too many people trying to protect QB's just for the sake of the marketing game. McNabb is going to put more butts in seats than Koy Detmer or Mike McMahon. Roethlisberger is going to draw more people in Pittsburgh than Tommy Maddox although they are the same caliber QB. QB's are protected because of skill, but just for marketing. Odell Thurman is no dirtier than James Farrior. Both are quality LB's in my opinion.

PITTSBURGH - Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said Wednesday a hit to one of his injured knees by Bengals rookie middle linebacker Odell Thurman may have been a borderline cheap shot.

However, Steelers center Jeff Hartings said later in the day that the Thurman hit, which resulted in a 15-yard penalty for roughing the passer, may have been caused by him accidentally tripping Thurman.

"I inadvertently tripped him," Hartings said. "It shows on the film."

With the Bengals leading the Steelers 21-14 during the second quarter Sunday, Roethlisberger rolled to his right on a third-and-5 play and hit Hines Ward for 18 yards and a first down. After delivering the ball, Roethlisberger - playing with two injured knees and a possible broken thumb - was hit about knee level by Thurman.

"I tried to let my body go limp so I could go down and I wouldn't hurt my knee," Roethlisberger said. "From what I heard, he got pushed or tripped or something. But any time you go low on a quarterback, you know it's a little dirty."

On the next play, Ward fumbled after a 7-yard gain on a reverse to the Bengals' 25 and the Bengals recovered.

Despite Hartings' explanation, Ward suggested the Steelers (7-5) will have the play on their minds the next time they face Cincinnati. The Bengals (9-3) beat the Steelers 38-31 to take a two-game lead in the AFC North with four games to play and endanger the Steelers' playoff hopes.

"I know of him, so he's not a dirty guy," said Ward, who, like Thurman, played at Georgia. "He's just out there running around trying to make plays. In the course of going down low and trying to tackle the guy, you're trying to play until the whistle's over. Fortunately they got a penalty and, luckily, Ben didn't get hurt."

But Ward acknowledged he has gone after other NFL players in retaliation for an incident in a previous game and said, "You make a note of the guy and make sure it doesn't happen again."

Asked whether he has made such a mental note about Thurman, Ward said, "Until the next time we play them, we'll remember him. I will."

Thurman, seen as a top contender for the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award, later made a key interception that led to the touchdown that put Cincinnati up 38-24. By winning, the Bengals avenged an earlier home-field loss to Pittsburgh and prevented the Steelers from tying them for the division lead.

the nfl is making this a ***** league, just put skirts around the qbs cause it jsut gay that they can't do shit anymore...........hell might as well put flags on everyone casue next year they'll ban hard hits or some bull shit like that

I didn't think it was a dirty play, but I don't think Thurman did everything he could to keep from rolling his leg. That would have been nice, but I don't think it is his responsibilty if he is tripped. It was just a play people cringed on because of Ben's injuries this season.